Happy Endings
by muldy
Summary: 'He hadn't seen her like this before. Happy. Enjoying herself. And holding his hand.' Post-ep for Once Upon A Crime


Castle glanced at her as she took his hand and he met his eye for a moment, before turning her attention back to Martha.

He hadn't seen her like this before.

Happy.

Enjoying herself.

And holding his hand.

Suddenly he wasn't hearing a word his mother was saying and his entire focus was on their hands. He had no idea what this meant, and he hoped that it was all her, that his mother had nothing to do with this.

A part of him was curious if this was an invitation for him to make a move, to say something.

_Secrets are like time bombs…_

She had been quick to change that topic; maybe he wasn't the only one with a secret…

No.

She would've said something, right? In all that time.

It was then that he caught Alexis' glance; the slight smile, the sparkle in her eyes. He narrowed his eyes at her and she quickly looked away, although the smile remained on her face.

Martha's play finished and he felt Beckett pulling her hand from his to clap. He squeezed it for a moment before letting go and she glanced at him, a look of longing in her eyes that he hadn't seen there in a long time.

Then her attention was back on Martha.

'Martha, that was wonderful, thank you for the encore show,' Beckett laughed.

Castle put his arm around the back of the couch, he wasn't touching her in any way, but he hoped the moment she noticed it she would lean back and when his family inevitably left them alone he could drop his arm down around her shoulder.

'Thank you my dear,' Martha bowed. 'Richard, dear, don't I deserve a round of applause?'

'That depends, are you planning to change the part about me being a terrible son?'

'Well it's not dramatic that way,' Martha took a seat next to Alexis.

As though she had read his mind, Beckett leaned back into the couch, her head resting against his arm. She didn't look at him, but she dropped her hand between them, lightly touching the side of his leg.

'Remember mother, I don't charge you rent,' he smiled.

Martha made some sort of unrecognisable noise then turned to Alexis and Marcus.

'You two can help me clean up the dishes,' she stated.

Alexis opened her mouth like she was about to complain, Castle assumed it was because it was his turn to do the dishes, but at that moment he was sure everyone in the room knew that there was no way he was getting off the couch.

'Sure,' she smiled and stood up. 'Although I think it's hardly fair to make Marcus do the dishes, since he's a guest and all.'

'It's not a problem,' Marcus stood up. 'It would be an honour.'

The three of them headed towards the kitchen area, the two women unsubtly getting closer together and whispering.

'Subtle,' Beckett commented.

'Subtle doesn't run in the family,' Castle replied, turning towards her and smiling. 'Thanks.'

'For what?'

That was a good question. For letting him stalk her? For coming over that night? For holding his hand and letting him know she cared?

There were a lot of things he wanted to thank her for.

'Everything,' seemed to be the simple answer.

A part of him toyed with the idea of telling her right then and there about the fact that he was looking into her mother's case, trying to find her killer. The better part of his mind told him doing that would ruin everything, that she would stand up and walk out of there, and possibly not talk to him for a very long time.

'In that case, you're welcome,' she said, twisting on the couch to face him.

'Can I ask you something?' he asked.

She paused, just for a moment, but to him it felt as though she was afraid of what he could ask her.

'Asking permission? Must be serious,' she joked, taking another sip of her champagne.

'Do you really believe in happy endings?'

He needed to know; it had just been a comment pertaining to their case, but for some reason, combined with the fact that she had been the one to take his hand, it seemed to him like it had been more of a hopeful comment on her part, than an observation about the case.

'I have to, Castle,' she looked down at her hand on the couch between them. 'Otherwise where's the hope?'

'There's always hope,' he replied without thinking.

'Always,' she echoed.

His eyes locked on hers. He hadn't even realised he'd said it, but her echo made it hit home. That word meant to her what it meant to him, and somehow that made him feel better.

The moment was cut short by a loud laugh from the kitchen and he glanced in that direction for a moment.

'You don't believe in happy endings?' she cottoned on to the thing he was hoping she wouldn't.

'Well you read what I did to Derek Storm,' he deflected.

'In your life, Rick.'

_Rick._

She wanted to know if he thought they would have a happy ending.

He wanted to say yes, wanted to tell her that for the first time he believed that he could spend the rest of his life with someone, but he wasn't sure that she believed the same thing. At that moment he couldn't believe in their happy ending because she hadn't given him any real evidence that it would happen. He knew she wanted it, this, but each day their relationship stayed stationary and he found it harder and harder to believe that it would work out.

Although her being there at that moment was a positive sign.

'I haven't had much luck with happily ever after,' he replied.

'Maybe you just married the wrong woman,' she said instantly.

'Women,' he corrected.

She laughed, looking down at her champagne.

'Next time I'm going to marry the right one,' he whispered.

Her eyes shot up to look at him. For a few moments she sat there in silence, just looking at him.

'I hope so.'

It was like a string had pulled on his stomach and unleashed a thousand butterflies and he suddenly felt like a teenager on his first date. This was the closest they had come to talking about anything significant since they had sat on the swings that day after she stalked him at his book signing.

Of course Alexis chose that moment to enter, holding a tray of ice creams.

'Dessert?'

'Yes please,' Beckett sat forward.

He was slightly disappointed at the broken contact, but didn't miss the smile his daughter gave him as the other two re-entered the room.

It was enough for now and it was a whole lot more than he'd had an hour earlier.

At least he had the hope that he wasn't the only one looking for a happy ending.


End file.
